Just this week, the brilliant mind behind the story that touched so many passed away. Harper Lee was an innovative author. She challenged her readers by weaving in a story line of racism and standing up for others. Her life is an inspiration to all who have big dreams, and her stories instill a longing to do what is right.
She was driven. Harper never was sure of her abilities in writing. As a first-time author, she relied heavily on her editorial team to craft a story that perfectly intertwined the themes of "To Kill A Mockingbird." Many times she tossed her manuscript and questioned it all, but she persevered. Her persistence reminds us all to never give up hope. The success of her first novel was reassurance that her gut-feeling of pursuing writing was correct.
She taught us all something. Her stories were packed to the brim with life lessons. She made sure every reader took away something after indulging in a story. "To Kill A Mockingbird" is laced with lessons on racism, stereotypes and treating people equally. Smaller themes pack the same punch like Atticus' fatherly role or Scout's persistent curiosity. Her stories contained a little something for everyone and that sparked the spreading of her tales.
She remained true to herself. The style of writing is unique to Harper Lee alone. Her detailed characters and scenic settings were modeled from her own life and childhood. Every paragraph flows with a style that only she possessed. She wrote books that placed readers in the story with her. A style of writing that was unique to her.
She never let fame get to her. After the immediate success of "To Kill A Mockingbird," she lived a normal life. Turning down interviews and appearances she remained out of the spotlight for a majority of her life. Hundreds of thousands of people read her book. It won numerous awards and was put into the hands of many students due to its classic style.
She kept people on their toes. After years of teasing and hinting of a sequel to her notorious first novel, she released "Go Set A Watchmen" last June. Even in old age, Harper knew how to surprise her fans.
While we mourn the death of a great American author, we also celebrate the incredible life of a woman who we can all look up to. She never let anything get in her way to pursuing her dreams and making sure we all learned something in the process. May her memory live on in the novels that granted her the widespread impact she has today.
